Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cable with line elements, and in particular to an electric cable with a plurality of cores sheathed by a cable jacket.
In order to increase the tensile strength of a cable, it is known to insert into such cables a strain relieving thread, which is for example formed from xe2x80x9cKEVLARxe2x80x9d filaments. In the case of electric cables for example, a maximum elongation of 2% is required. In the case of conventional cables, the strain relieving thread does not, however, contribute to the strength of the connection of a cable end, for instance to a plug or a socket. It is, however, precisely the connection between the cable end and a connecting element, such as a plug or a socket, that causes most problems in practice.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a cable configuration which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known cable configurations of this general type and in which the strength of the connection between the cable end and a plastic molding molded onto the cable end is increased.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a cable configuration, including:
a cable having an end region, the cable including a plurality of cores, a cable jacket, and a strain relieving thread for increasing a tensile strength of the cable;
a plastic part formed onto the cable jacket at the end region; and
the strain relieving thread emerging from the cable jacket and being integrally and/or interlockingly embedded in the plastic part.
In other words, the object of the invention is achieved in that the strain relieving thread is led out of the cable jacket and is embedded integrally and/or in an interlocking or formlocking manner in the material of the plastic part. A tensile force acting on the cable is consequently introduced into the plastic part , for instance a plug, via the strain relieving thread. In this way, the electrical connections within a plug are protected against the action of tensile forces.
The plastic part may be configured as a rear-engaging part which can be placed with interlocking engagement in the longitudinal direction of the cable into a recess of an electrical device or a component to which a cable end is to be connected. Here, too, pulling on the cable has virtually no effect on the electrical connection of the cores of the cable to the electrical device, but instead is absorbed by the strain relieving thread of the cable.
Furthermore, there is the possibility of the strain relieving thread, which is led out from the cable jacket, being embedded in a plastic part which, together with the regions of the cable jacket adjoining it on both sides, is encapsulated by a plug part or the like. The plastic part may in this case be of a harder material, securely enclosing the strain relieving thread within it, while the housing of the electrical connecting element, that is of a plug or a socket or the like, may be formed of a softer, flexible material. With a suitable choice of material, however, the plastic part accommodating the strain relieving thread may, however, also itself be a housing or an electrical connecting part, that is a plug or a socket.
According to another feature of the invention, the housing, the plug, the socket, and/or the plastic part may be formed by injection molding or casting.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a cable configuration, in particular an electric cable configuration, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.